The present invention relates generally to the art of food packaging and more particularly to a tray for packaging, storing, heating and serving food.
Tray type containers of the type disclosed herein are well known in the art. They are low in cost, disposable and are adapted to protect the food packaged therein under a variety of heating and serving conditions. Moreover, such containers are capable of being formed on high speed equipment. However, the prior art does not disclose a container which incorporates all of the features of the present invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,863,832 and 4,848,648 each disclose multiple compartment trays for food service. Containers formed in accordance with the teachings of these patents are acceptable for most purposes, but they have limitations. Note for example that the containers formed in Pat. No. 4,848,648 each have exposed edges on their interior surfaces which render the individual compartments susceptible to leakage and possible contamination of the food packaged therein. Likewise the corner closures of the separate tray compartments in Pat. No. 3,863,832 each have cut edges, which, even though folded to the outside of the tray walls, still provide an opportunity for leakage of any wet or liquid-containing food products packaged therein. Meanwhile in both patents, the individual compartments are slightly spaced from one another with the result that they do not offer or provide support for one another even though they are joined together.
In contrast to the above, the tray type container of the present invention has full gusset corner closures which are leak proof, and where the individual compartments are joined together, the adjoining side walls are arranged to lie in full face-to-face contact so that the compartments provide support for one another and keep the separate compartments from collapsing. In addition, the container of the present invention utilizes either a separate or integral lid with easy opening features.